Play board



F. A. HECKER PLAY BOARD Filed Dec. 2, 1925 m &\

May 18 1926.

Patented May 18, 1926.;

summons. BECKER, or mass! any; NE JERsEYQ PLAY roam).

Application filed December 2, 1925.. Serial Nb. 72,623.

This invention relates to play boards, more particularly but not necessarily adaptedfor playing solitaire, such, for example, as the game knownas Canfield.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a convenient play board which is adapted to :be rested in the lap of a person or which can be supported by a person lying in bed, although it is obvious that the play board may constitute the top of a table or be rested on a table or the like. Another object is to provide simple,

venient means for enabling the playing of .the game of Canfield, or other solitaire,

game, the broad invention residing in a play board, a plurality of pockets and stepped card rests for each pocket.

With these and other objects in view my invention consistsof certain features of construction and combinations of parts to be hereinafter described and then claimed with reference to the accompanying drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention and in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan of the improved play board, and f Fig. 2 is a transverse section thereof, slightly enlarged, on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

The device referred to preferably comprises .a-boa .d 5 of suitable shape and'ma-v terial which may be conveniently handled and carried about. -Preferably extending longitudinally of the top surface of the board is a strip 6 of flat stock provided with a longitudinal overhang portion 7 An intermediate strip 8 extends parallel .with the strip 6 along-the surface of the board. third. strip 9 extends parallel with the strips 6 and-8 along the surface of the board.

The strips 6, 8 and 9 in the order named g are of successively decreasing height or" elevation with respect to the surface of the board; in 7 creasing height in the other direction. The inner surfaces of the'strips 6, 8 and 9 which are the surfaces'which face away from the outer surface of the strip 6 constitute, and

are at an angle to the top surface of theboard, supporting ledges for cards, and the upper or outer surfaces of the strips 8 and 9 constitute supports for cards. Differently expressed the stripsorledges 6,8 and 9 constitute card rests for the lower edges of cards.

Extending transversely of the strips or .said partitions being in cheap and conother words of successively inledges 6, 8, 9 is a plurality of partitions 10 which may consist, as shown, of suitable lengths of material of substantially corresponding lengths, and the outer ends of the partitions 10 are against the inner surfaces of the strip or ledge 6, and said partitions extend in a downwardly inclined direction over and in contact with the Longitudinal strips or ledges 8, 9, the other ends of the contact with the upper surface of the board 5. Preferably the board 5 is composed of wood, and the strips 6, 8, 9 and the partitionslO are also preferably of wood and they may be combined or constructed in any suitable manner to form a .rack, and the strips may be secured to the board by glue or small brads and the transverse partitions 10 secured to the board and to the inner surface of the strip 6 by glue or brads. Above the rack construction provided by the strips 6, 8, 9

the board and to the ends of the strip 14 are transverse pieces 15 constituting end walls. The strips 11 and 14 and the transverse par- A titions'or walls therefor are also preferably oomposedof wood. y

If the solitaire game to be played is the ame of Canfield there would be for the described rack seven pockets provided by the transverse partitions 10; and there would be four pockets formed by the transverse partitions 12, 13 and a single pocket between :thepartitions or Walls 15.

lVhen playing ".Canfield, for instance, the set-up would be, as follows: There be six cards such as 16 placed face down in the six pockets between the partitions 10 following the first pocket, in which pocket a card 17 would be placed face up. The lower orinner portion of the first card 17 would berested upon the strip 9 and the- .edge thereof should abut upon the ledge furnished by the strip 8. The upwardly would there should be in 'face of the ledge 6.

facing cards 17 above the cards 16 will be similarly rested u on the strip 9 and their lower edges reste against the strip 8. If any of the ockets more than one upwardly facing .cartf17, the to most card 18 will be rested u on the st 1p 8 and its inner edge a inst t e inner sur- I for example, there are a number of upwardly facin cards un der the three of spades 18, as wi of course be the case in Canfield, their lower edges will all rest a ainst the ledge 6. In other words, the cards in the second pocket would be arranged, as shown, that is the card 16, would face downwardly, while the card 17 would face upwardly in ofi'set relation with respect to the card 16; in the third pocket the card 16 would face downwardly, the card 17 upwardly, and the card 18 would face upwardl together with other upwardly facing cards between the exposed card 18 and the card 17, but their inner or forward edges would rest upon the strip or ledge 6, so that the cards 16, 17 and 18 would ave an set relation. This arrangement and oifse relation will of course prevail in the fourth, sixth and seventh pockets. The manner of usin the rack for the cards in offset relation w1ll be perfectly clear to one familiar with the solitaire game of .Canfield. It is obvious that the first upwardly facing cards may rest with their lower edges against the strip 'or ledge 8 and the next upwardly facing cards 18 would rest with their lower edges against the ledge 6.

The rack construction 11, 12, I3 is used for building up, the respective suits of the cards from the ace upwardly, and the rack or pocket 14, 15 is used for. discards.

It is obvious that the arran ement and construction may be otherwise t an as specifically described and modifications may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a lay board, a substantially flat-top board, a p urality of pockets on its top surface, and a plurality of step d card rests for each pocket, said steps bi sing of successively increasing elevation away from the u per surface of the board, those surfaces of the steps which extend away from. the board constituting ledges for the abutment of the edges of cards, and the outer surfaces of the ate 5 adapted to contact the backs of the car V 2. In a play board, a plurality of pockets, and card rests for each-pocket, compri an inner step for contact of the bottom of-a card therewith, an intermediate step for contact of the bottom edge of a second card therewith, said inner step adapted to contact with the surface of said second card, and an outer step for contact of the bottom edge of a third card therewith, said intermediate step adapted to contact with the surface of said third card.

3. A play board having a substantially flat top, a plurality of parallel card rest ledges thereon extendin along the said surface of the board and disposed at an angle to said surface, said ledges also extending at successively increasing elevation away from said surface, all of said ledges bein free from obstruction in front thereof an exposed to the view of the player for permitting immediate contact of the bottom edges of the cards therewith.

4. A play board having a substantially flat top, a plurality of parallel card rest ledges thereon extendi along the said surface of the board and 'sposed at an angle to said surface, said ledges also extending at successively increasing elevation away 86 from said surface, all of said ledges bein free from obstruction in front thereof an exposed to the view of the player for perm1tting,immediate contact of the bottom edges of the cards therewith, and a lurality of partitions transverse of the edges, providing pockets between the partitions.

5. play board on which the solitaire ame ,0 Canfield may be played, said board havin a substantially flat-to surface, a lura y of seven pockets, car rests for eac pocket, comprising an inner ste for contact of the bottom edge of a card therewith, an intermediate step for contact of the bottom edge of a second card therewith, said inner step adapted to contact with the surface of said second card, and an outer step for contact of the bottom edge of. a thir card therewith, said intermediate step adapted to contact with the surface of said third card, four pockets for building up the suits of the cards, and a pocket for discards.

FREDERICK A. BECKER. 

